Early Politicians

Early Politicians. . , Colonel William R. Morrison , One of Waterloo's most renowned and distinguished citizens was Colonel William R. Morrison, to whom the city owes its library., The library building at the corner of Library and Park Streets was Colonel Morrison's home, built by him in 1898, and willed to the city as a public library at his death., His first public office was Monroe County Circuit Clerk, being elected to that position in 1852. He was elected to the Illinois Legislature in 1854 to 1860 and 1870 to 1871, and was speaker of the Illinois House of Representatives in 1859 to 1860., Morrison was enlisted in the Second Illinois Infantry and served as a private in the Mexican-American War. During the war, he raised a company for Colonel Bissel, and took part in the battle of Buena Vista., When the American Civil War broke out in 1861, Morrison organized the Forty-ninth Illinois Infantry and was elected colonel. Shot in the hip while serving as a brigade commander during the siege of Fort Donelson, Colonel Morrison recovered sufficiently to return to the front for the Battle of Shiloh in April 1862., Morrison resigned from the army when he was elected to his first term of congress in 1862. Although General Ulysses S. Grant refused Morrison's resignation, it was approved by President Abraham Lincoln. Morrison was elected again in 1872 and served until 1887. Over the years, he had been a delegate to the Democratic National Convention, a delegate to the Union National Convention, and a member of the Interstate Commerce Commission., Following his defeat for reelection to congress in 1886, Morrison was appointed to the Interstate Commerce Commission, where he served from 1887 to 1898, being chairman from 1891 to 1897. After 1897, he returned to Waterloo to resume his law practice in 1896, Morrison was mentioned as a possible candidate for the presidency., George Forquer , George Forquer was born in Brownsville, Pennsylvania in 1794. Forquer's twice-widowed mother brought her family to St. Louis then to Mitchie Precinct in the Maeystown area. Forquer left school at an early age and worked in St. Louis as a carpenter, returning to Illinois in 1818 and purchasing a large tract of land that would become Waterloo. Together with Daniel P. Cook, Forquer laid out and founded the new community., He was elected to the Illinois state senate, then resigned and accepted the office of Illinois secretary of state. He resigned this office at the end of 1828 and was elected Illinois attorney general by the legislature in January of the following year., Forquer was the older half-brother to Thomas Ford, who was the state's governor from 1842 to 1846., Joseph W. Rickert , Joseph William Rickert moved with his parents to Tipton, Illinois when he was young. At the age of 16, he entered St. Louis University, walking the 30 miles to the city. He read law in the office of Judge O'Melveny in Waterloo and Johnson and Hartzell in Chester, and was admitted to the bar in 1869 by Judge Silas Bryan., In 1873, Rickert bought the residence in Waterloo where he would live the entirety of his adult life at 216 East Third Street. The home was originally a one-story brick German street house. Senator Joseph Rickert enlarged the home to its present site in 1897, including features such as a mansard roof, a tower, a widow's walk, and Victorian gingerbread., He began his long career of public service in 1869 when he was elected county superintendent of schools. In 1874 he went to the 29th General Assembly and two years later he was elected states attorney and held this office for eight years. In 1888, he was elected to the state Senate. He was invited to become a candidate for lieutenant governor, but declined., Senator Rickert's home was subsequently owned by Joe and Marie Tucker and by Charles and Kathy Janson. The home was purchased in 1987 by Ed and Kathi Weilbacher, who have restored it to its original elegance, retaining original historic materials wherever possible. No major alterations were made except those required for safety and stability., In the 1990's, the Weilbachers opened the Senator Rickert Residence Bed and Breakfast, making a beautiful, spacious suite available for rental., Ambrose Hoener , Ambrose Hoener immigrated from Germany to the United States in 1849. He settled in St. Louis, but soon after went to St. Clair County and in 1851 settled in Waterloo, where he since resided. He started his own mercantile, but had to close shop when he was asked to serve the community. Due to his congeniality, Hoener was elected to many positions of honor and trust. He served as assessor and treasurer of Monroe County for four years, county clerk for twelve consecutive years, and police magistrate for eight years., In 1876, Hoener was selected to be the senatorial candidate for the 48th District, and he won the Senate position that year. He earned the reputation of being an able, industrious legislator and highly competent and creditable representative for his constituents., Albert C. Bollinger , Albert C. Bollinger was born in Steeleville, Illinois. He studied law in the office of Hartzell and Sprigg, in Chester, Illinois. He was admitted to the Illinois bar in 1893, at which time he lived in Waterloo with his wife and family. He was elected State Senator in 1896 and served until 1901 and he was elected Presidential elector in 1904; in 1905 he was appointed County Judge by Governor Deneen to fill an unexpired term., During World War I, Bollinger was county chairman of the legal advisory board of the State Council of Defense. he was Master in Chancery, to which office he was first appointed in 1909. He also helped organize the Waterloo First National Bank., Stewart R. Tresilian , Stewart R. Tresilian was born in Bandon, County Cork, Ireland in 1829. He lived in Waterloo as early as 1858 and is known here for constructing the Stephen Miles Mausoleum, which still stands today. He was surveyor for Monroe County in 1859 as well as Deputy Collector of Monroe County in 1859. He was an engineer and is also known for draining the large Masterson Lake in our county for farming purposes. He is listed in the 1860 Monroe County census living in Waterloo shortly before enlisted to serve in the Civil War., He was a gallant soldier in the Civil War serving in Company A, 49th Illinois Infantry Volunteers, enlisting in Waterloo on September 5, 1861. He was the secretary for Colonel William R. Morrison. His obituary mentions him as the first engineer in the army, chief engineer on the staff of Major General Logan of Illinois. His name appears in publications around the world, including the papers of Abraham Lincoln., Tresilian, engineer on the staff of Major General Logan, deserves great credit for constructing the wooden mortar which had a remarkable effect at Vicksburg., At Vicksburg, he made a survey of the battlefields and at dark led the construction of a bridge with a timber frame filled with cotton bales. His inventive genius enabled the construction in one night of a bridge capable of safely moving an army corp across Big Black River, 30 feet in depth. The fame of the cotton bale bridge was often told at Civil War reunions in later years., Furthermore, Tresilian also created the crude forerunner of the modern tank so effectively used in World War II. The railroad battery he designed and supervised construction of was bullet proof with port holes for rifles., After the war Tresilian was part of the Fenian movement, wanting to establish an independent Irish Republic. He died in January of 1869 in Hoboken, New Jersey., Thomas Ford , Thomas Ford was originally from Fayette County, Pennsylvania, but moved to Monroe County as a child with his twice-widowed mother. With the encouragement of George Forquer, his half-brother, Thomas studied law at Lexington, Kentucky for a year. Having returned home, Thomas farmed, taught school and studied law in Daniel P. Cook's office, eventually becoming a successful lawyer and entering politicx., In 1829, Governor Edwards appointed Thomas prosecuting attorney. During his life, Thomas also served as State's Attorney for western Illinois and served as Circuit Judge from 1835 to 1837. By 1841, he was a member of the Illinois Supreme Court; he resigned this position the following year to run for governor., Thomas Ford became the eight governor of Illinois in 1842, and served until 1846. After his term ended, he declined the challenge of running against Stephen Douglas for U.S. senator and subsequently practiced law in Peoria, Illinois., Thomas B. Needles , Thomas Needles was born in Waterloo in 1835. He worked with his father in the mercantile business. The "Needles and Gall Store" was located where Waterloo City Hall currently stands. He opened his own store in Nashville, Illinois and was involved with the banking business. From 1877 to 1881, Needles served as Auditor of Public Accounts for the State of Illinois. In 1881, Needles served in the Illinois State Senate. In 1889, President Benjamin Harrison appointed Needles as United States Marshal for the Indian Territory, and from 1893 to 1897, Needles served in the Illinois House of Representatives. President William McKinley appointed Needles to the Dawes Commission.